초록 ▼

The on site maintenance system for metal railcar wheels enables the user to establish a portable, stationary guide rail system about a remotely located railcar and then through use of a traversing guide rail system and lathe assembly grind the many wheels of a railcar with minimal time. The traversi

The on site maintenance system for metal railcar wheels enables the user to establish a portable, stationary guide rail system about a remotely located railcar and then through use of a traversing guide rail system and lathe assembly grind the many wheels of a railcar with minimal time. The traversing guide rail system rollingly traverses upon side guide rails of the stationary guide rail system and is clamped to existing rails in a desired position. Likewise, the lathe system rollingly traverses upon the cross-wise guide rails of the traversing guide rail system. The lathe system then additionally provides three axes movement for fine-tune positioning of the lathe bit to achieve a desired grind profile of the metal railcar wheel. The wheel being ground is driven by a drive powered by the railcar or may be driven by an external drive and motor connected to the exterior hub of the wheel.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for on site maintenance of metal railcar wheels, wherein said metal, railcar wheels are atop an existing rail track and are secured to a carriage assembly, the system comprising:a portable, stationary guide rail system established about said carriage assembly and supported exteriorly to

1. A system for on site maintenance of metal railcar wheels, wherein said metal, railcar wheels are atop an existing rail track and are secured to a carriage assembly, the system comprising:a portable, stationary guide rail system established about said carriage assembly and supported exteriorly to said existing rail track;a portable, traversing guide rail system, wherein said portable, traversing guide rail system rests atop and traverses upon said portable, stationary guide rail system; anda lathe assembly, wherein said lathe assembly rests atop and traverses upon said, portable, traveling guide rail system, and wherein said lathe assembly includes a bit to grind said metal, railcar wheels. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable, stationary guide rail system is supported by a plurality of jacks. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable, stationary guide rail system includes a pair of anterior side rails and a pair of exterior side rail. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable stationary guide rail system includes a forward cross-member and a rearward cross-member, and wherein said forward and rearward cross-members rest upon said existing rail tack. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable, traversing guide rail system includes a plurality of supporting casters. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein said plurality of supporting casters ride within a channel provided by said portable, stationary guide rail system. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable, traversing guide rail system includes a clamping assembly. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein said clamping assembly is clamped to said existing rail track. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein said lathe assembly includes a portable, power pack. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein said lathe assembly includes a controller. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein said controller controls the position of the lathe assembly to achieve a desired profile upon said metal railcar wheels. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein said lathe assembly is adjustable on three axes. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein said metal railcar wheel is driven by a motor and drive system local to the railcar or by a motor and drive system external to the railcar. 14. A system for on site maintenance of metal railcar wheels, wherein said metal railcar wheels are atop an existing rail track and are secured to a carriage assembly, the system comprising:lathe means for grinding said metal, railcar wheels;portable traversing means for enabling said lathe means to traverse among said metal, railcar wheels, wherein said portable traversing means includes rolling means for rolling upon said portable support means; andportable support means for enabling said portable traversing means to traverse about said carriage assembly, wherein said portable support means is established substantially, exteriorly to either side of said existing rail track. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein said lathe means is adjustable along three axes. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein said lathe means includes control means for controlling the position of said lathe means to achieve a desired profile on said metal, railcar wheels. 17. The system of claim 14, wherein said lathe means includes power means for powering a movement of said lathe means. 18. The system of claim 14, wherein said portable traverse means includes clamping means for clamping said portable traversing means to said existing rail track. 19. The system of claim 14, wherein said portable support means includes cross-stabilizing means for resting upon said existing rail track and for stabilizing said portable support means. 20. The system of claim 14, wherein said portable support means includes track means for providing a track in which said portable traversing means can traverse. 21. The system of claim 14, wherein said portable support means includes a plurality of leveling means for enabling said portable support means to present a leve l surface. 22. The system of claim 14, further comprising drive means for driving the rotation of said metal railcar wheel wherein said drive means is local to the railcar or external to the railcar. 23. A method for on site maintenance of metal railcar wheels, wherein said metal railcar wheels are atop an existing rail track and are secured to a carriage assembly, the method comprising the steps of:erecting a portable, stationary guide rail system about said carriage assembly;supporting said portable, stationary guide rail substantially exteriorly to either side of said existing rail track;erecting a portable, traveling guide rail system atop said portable stationary guide rail system;placing a lathe system atop said portable, traversing guide rail system;moving said portable, traversing guide rail along the erected portable, stationary guide rail system to a position proximate said carriage assembly;moving said lathe system along the erected, portable traversing guide rail system to a position proximate one of said metal railcar wheels; andgrinding said one of said metal, railcar wheels to a desired profile with said lathe system. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of supporting is performed utilizing a plurality of telescoping jacks. 25. The method of claim 23, wherein step of erecting said portable, stationary guide rail system includes erecting a pair of anterior side rails and a pair of exterior side rails. 26. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of erecting said portable, stationary guide rail system includes erecting a forward and a rearward cross-member, wherein said forward and rearward cross-members rest upon said existing rail track. 27. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of moving said portable, traversing guide rail system comprises rolling said portable, traversing guide rail system. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein said rolling occurs within a track of the erected portable, stationary guide rail system. 29. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of clamping the erected, portable traversing guide rail system to said existing rail track. 30. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of independently powering said lathe system. 31. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of controlling the position of said lathe system to achieve said desired profile. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of controlling comprises controlling the position of said lathe system along three axes of motion. 33. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of driving said metal railcar wheel with a motor and drive system that is local to the railcar or external to the railcar.